System and Method for Using a Mobile Telephone Network to Provide a Contest

ABSTRACT

A method of using a mobile telephone network to provide a contest via handheld communication devices is provided. In one embodiment, information is made accessible via web site, email, print media, and/or television. Participants then register to compete in the contest. Next, for each participant the server or other system performs the steps of receiving a short message service message that indicates a first request for a question from a participant, transmitting a plurality of short message service messages that each include at least one question to the handheld communication device of the participant, receiving replies to the transmitted short message service messages that include answers of the participant, determining a score for the participant that comprises the number of correct answers received from the participant, and determining a response time for the participant. The participant having the highest score and smallest response time may be identified as the winner. The server may store a plurality of questions and randomly select a subset of the questions to be transmitted to each the participant.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to multi-person social communications, games, and contests, and more particularly to a system and method for implementing a multi-player contest via mobile telephone network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Wireless communication via mobile telephones is becoming ubiquitous. As the use of mobiles telephones has increased, the desire to expand the services available to the subscribers also has increased. For example, features such as cameras, music players, text messaging services, and internet services have been added to mobile phones.

Multiplayer online games (i.e., games played by multiple players via the Internet) have been gaining popularity. Because such games typically require the players to be at their computers, they limit a player's mobility and limit a potential player's ability to participate. For example, persons who do not have access to the Internet (regularly or at the time of the game) may not be able to participate in such games. Mobile telephones enable people to communicate largely irrespective of their location. This capability allows for new and expanded forms of social engagement including multiplayer games and contests.

In contrast to computers, mobile telephones, which typically provide an always on connection, often are carried with a person all the time. However, to date, there have been very few social, multiplayer, activities available to mobile telephone users. Accordingly, there is a need for more social activities, including multiplayer games and contests, for users of mobile telephones and other handheld mobile communication devices. In addition, providing such services also provides an opportunity to enhance customer relationships, generate revenues, such as advertising revenues, which will become extremely important as multi-person social activities become more widespread.

Accordingly, an inventive method for providing social interaction, including multiplayer games and contests is provided.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method of using a mobile telephone network to provide a contest via handheld communication devices. In one embodiment, information is made accessible to participants via a web site, email, print media, and/or television. Participants then register to compete in the contest. Next, for each participant the server or other system may perform the steps of receiving a short message service message that indicates a first request for a question from a participant, transmitting a plurality of short message service messages that each include at least one question to the handheld communication device of the participant, receiving replies to the transmitted short message service messages that include answers of the participant, determining a score for the participant that comprises the number of correct answers received from the participant, and determining a response time for the participant. The participant having the highest score and smallest response time may be identified as the winner. The server may store a plurality of questions and randomly select a subset of the questions to be transmitted to each the participant.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is further described in the detailed description that follows, by reference to the noted drawings by way of non-limiting illustrative embodiments of the invention, in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the drawings. As should be understood, however, the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an illustrative schematic of an example environment with which embodiments of the present invention may be used;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a game server for implementing some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an example multiplayer contest according to one example embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of an example process for implementing a contest according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of another example process for implementing a contest according to an example embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of another example process for implementing a contest according to another example embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

In the following description, for purposes of explanation and not limitation, specific details are set forth, such as particular networks, communication systems, computers, terminals, devices, components, techniques, data and network protocols, mobile devices, mobile telephone networks, software products and systems, enterprise applications, operating systems, development interfaces, hardware, etc. in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention.

However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced in other embodiments that depart from these specific details. Detailed descriptions of well-known networks, communication systems, computers, terminals, devices, components, techniques, data and network protocols, mobile devices, mobile telephone networks, software products and systems, operating systems, development interfaces, and hardware are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the present invention. When appropriate, like reference numerals and characters are used to designate identical, corresponding or similar components in differing figure drawings.

Communication Environment:

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative schematic of an example communication environment 10 which may used to provide multi-person social activities, including multiplayer games and contests, according to embodiments of this invention. The communication environment 10 may include one or more wireless mobile communication networks 12, the internet 14, the public switched telephone network (PSTN/ISDN) 16, various wireless “hot spot” networks 18, and other networks.

The Internet 14 encompasses a worldwide, publicly accessible network of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching using the standard Internet Protocol (IP). It is a “network of networks” that consists of millions of smaller domestic, academic, business, and government networks, which together carry various information and services, such as electronic mail, online chat, file transfer, and the interlinked Web pages and other documents of the World Wide Web. Content provider servers 20 (e.g., web servers) typically provide content which may by accessed by users through access devices 22 (e.g., computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and some mobile telephones) via the Internet. Various peripheral devices may be coupled to the user access devices 22 including, but not limited to web cameras 28 and microphones. A web camera 28 is a camera whose images may be communicated via the Internet via various applications including instant messaging, or a PC video calling application. Web cameras images may be uploaded to a web server (or another user device 22), either continuously or at regular intervals, and transmitted from the server to other user devices 22.

The public switched telephone network (PSTN) 16 encompasses an aggregation of the world's public circuit-switched telephone networks, in much the same way that the Internet is the concentration of the world's public IP-based packet-switched networks. Originally a network of fixed-line analog telephone systems, the PSTN includes digital services and may serve mobile and fixed telephones.

“Hot spot” wireless networks 18 are locations with public wireless access points where a user can connect their mobile computers (such as a laptop or a PDA) to the Internet, using Wifi (IEEE 802.11 a/big) or WiMAX (IEEE 802.16 d/e) technology. Some mobile telephones may also be connected to hot spots. Hot spots are often found near restaurants, train stations, airports, coffee shops, libraries and other public places. Further, private hot spots also are becoming popular, such as a WiMAX network for an office building.

A wireless mobile telephone communication network 12 may include a number of cells, each served by a fixed transmitter known as a cell site or base station 24. Each cell provides service to a given geographical area. Multiple cells having overlapping coverage serve a wide area and form a mobile network. Mobile networks are inherently asymmetric and typically have a set of fixed main transceivers and a set of distributed (generally, but not always, mobile) transceivers. A mobile transceiver typically is part of a mobile telephone 26 used by the network's user.

The present invention may be used with various mobile communication technologies, including, but not limited to, one or more of AMPS, Cellular 1G. 2G, 3G, GSM (Global System for Mobile communications), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), 3GSM, Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT), Digital AMPS (IS-136/TDMA), and Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN)PCS (Personal Communication Services) (sometimes referred to as digital cellular networks), and other cellular telephone networks. One or more of these networks may use various access technologies such as frequency division multiple access (FDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), or code division multiple access (CDMA) (e.g., some of which may be used by 2G devices) and others may use CDMA2000 (based on 2G Code Division Multiple Access), WCDMA (UMTS)—Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, or TD-SCDMA (e.g., some of which may be used by 3G devices).Global System for Mobile.

In many embodiments and implementations, a service that may be used during a game or contest includes the Short Message Service (SMS), popularly referred to as “text messaging.” SMS is available on most mobile telephones and permits the sending of short messages between phones, other handheld devices, and in some implementations, landline telephones. Consequently, a mobile telephone network or other network that supports text messaging may be desirable for some embodiments.

Within the category of SMS, there is user-level SMS (friend-to-friend) and premium-level SMS. Premium SMS services typically distribute useful information requested by mobile phone users through the same network used by standard SMS carriers. Thus, SMS may be used to obtain “premium” information, such as stock prices, flight delays, sports scores, or simply the plot line of the latest episode of their favorite television show. Premium SMS messages often look just like standard SMS messages, and may be categorized among three types: “blast” messages that are automatically sent by providers as alerts, “be heard” messages enabling the masses to communicate via polls and interactive chats, and “at your request” text that is sent in response to brief user messages.

Text messages may be sent via a store-and-forward mechanism to a Short Message Service Centre (SMSC), which attempts to send the message to the recipient. Transmission of the short messages between the SMSC and a mobile handheld device can be done through different protocols such as SS7 within the standard GSM MAP framework or TCP/IP within the same standard. Larger content (known as long SMS, concatenated SMS) may be sent segmented over multiple messages. Also, some service networks offer the ability to send messages to land line telephones regardless of their capability of receiving text messages by automatically phoning the recipient and audibly producing messages using a speech synthesizer along with the telephone number of the sender.

Managing Games:

FIG. 2 shows a server 30 for managing various multi-player contest or other social interactive experiences, including other games, according to an embodiment of this invention. As will be evident to those skilled in the art, server 30 may comprise a computer system that includes one or more computer servers, one or more memory devices, server software, an operating system, application software, and other hardware and software. The hardware and software may be integrated or co-located or may be distributed in various locations. Various databases are maintained by the server 30, among which may be a games database 32 and a participant database 34. The databases may be stored in memory of the server 30 or a memory accessible by, but separate from, the server 30. The games database 32 may store rules and instructions for managing a game. Additionally, the server 30 may include executable program code stored in memory, forming one or more algorithms, that control operation of the server 30 to implement and control processes needed to execute the contest in accordance with the contest rules. The participant database 34 may include information about persons (e.g., name, demographic data, mobile telephone number, e-mail address, ISP address, etc.) who may have expressed interest in participating in a game.

The games management module 36 may include various computer program components for activating and managing an instance of a given game. For example purposes only, there may be processes 38 for registering participants, processes 40 for allowing participants to enter a game, and processes 42 for controlling game play.

In one example embodiment, a plurality of participants compete in a live skills-based contest for a prize by responding to questions. A person may indicate an interest in participating in one or more games by registering with a contest provider at a given web site or via other means. The link to the website may include wired and wireless segments. Depending on the implementation, the person may use a computer, a PDA, a mobile telephone, and/or another device to register. When registering, the user may submit certain information which may be stored in the player database 34 by the server 30. Such information may include the person's name, age, birth date, address, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, income, language, and other demographic data. In addition, the information may include the person's mobile telephone number, the person's mobile telephone model and/or manufacturer, e-mail address, other telephone number(s), profile information (e.g., the person's likes, dislikes, hobbies, profession, favorite team(s), favorite television programs, school(s), etc.) and other information. In addition, other information may be captured from the user's access device 22 (e.g., ISP address, device address). In some embodiments, a person may register simply by transmitting the appropriate text message to a remote server, which may causer the server to retrieve the previously provided and stored user information. In other embodiments persons may register by calling a telephone number and navigating an interactive voice response and automated system.

The registration process 38 may send a text message to the mobile telephone of the registrant (a potential participant of the contest) based on a polling of the player database 34. This text message and the others of the example embodiment may be sent using, for example, the premium short message service. Other embodiments may use other messaging techniques including, but not limited to, audible message (e.g., telephone voice calls, MP3 files), user-level SMS, video messages (e.g., MPEG files), or a combination thereof. The message may include a confirmation of the person's registering and/or a solicitation to participate in the contest. The message also may include other content such as advertising material. In a specific example, the text message may indicate that a dating game will be commence at a given date and time. An interested participant may respond by calling a specific telephone number or sending a specific text message in a reply message.

For some games, the next step is game play. However, for other game embodiments, such as live games, the next step may be to enter a game. To enter a game, an interested user may dial a given phone number, send a text message or enter an online game room. Thus, game entry may be performed using various devices, such as a user access device 22 (e.g., computer, PDA) or a mobile telephone 26. Different games may have different manners of game entry. For example, a talent show may be entered by accessing a given online game room over the internet or by voting (e.g., by sending a text message). The various processes used to enable users to enter a game are referred to as the “Enter Game” processes 40.

The game play processes 42 may encompass various processes for various games. Following are example embodiments of two games, a dating game and a talent contest.

FIG. 3 shows an example process 50 for executing a multiplayer dating game according to one example embodiment of this invention. Game play, for example, may include one or more first rounds 52 in which a prize contestant is selected, followed by one ore more elimination rounds 54 and the announcement at step 56 of the winning couple. One or more winners may win some type of financial compensation, such as for example, gift certificates, airline tickets, money, memberships, telephone service (e.g., mobile telephone service for a predetermined period of time) or other prize.

This example embodiment comprises a dating game (a skill based competition) in which a plurality of male participants (e.g., hundreds or thousands) review the photos, videos, and/or personal information of a plurality of women (e.g., ten women). The male participants then vote for one or more of the women (hereinafter “female contestants”) based on criteria identified by the contest provider (e.g., the most attractive woman, the most fun woman, etc.). The female contestant receiving the most votes within a predetermined time period is selected for the elimination round. In the elimination round, the male participants attempt to correctly answer trivia questions based on personal information related to the woman who was selected. The male participant who correctly answers the most questions in the shortest period of time is selected as the winner.

FIG. 4 shows an example embodiment of a process 52 for implementing an example first round, which, in this example embodiment comprises selection of a particular woman. At step 62, information about each female contestant (or other information in other embodiments) is made available to the game participants. For example, in a game having ten women or other contestants, and 10,000 game participants, the information on each of the ten female contestants may be available via a web site and may be viewed by users registered as participants in the corresponding instance of the game (e.g., the sever 30, which may also function as a web server, may transmit the data to the user access device 22 for display in a browser). In some embodiments the information also may be viewed by the public (persons who are not participants and who have not registered) and also broadcast on television. In addition, in some embodiments the information may be transmitted to the participant's mobile telephone 26 for viewing. The information may include a video, audio, and/or or textual material and be made available at a given date and time. To vote for the female contestants, a person may register as a participant (as described above) and submit their selection. One of ordinary skill will appreciate that the number of contestants, the number of participants, the sex of each such group and other variables may differ in various instances and embodiments.

A prescribed time period may be set to allow participants to view the posted information, register and provide a selection. At step 63, the server 30 receives selections of the female contestants from the participants, which are then stored in memory. All votes received within the prescribed time period are tallied at step 64 to determine the contestant winner. At step 66, the identity of the contestant winner is announced to the participants and the female contestants (e.g., via email, text messages, website, and/or other means). In various embodiments different rules may apply. For example, in one embodiment each participant may be permitted only one selection. In another embodiment each male participant may be permitted to provide as many selections as they desire, and in still another embodiment each participant may be permitted to provide multiple selections up to a fixed number.

For embodiments in which the information about the female contestants is posted on a web site, the information on at least the contestant remains posted (available) for the entire game play. In another embodiment, the information remains posted only for the first round(s), and is removed once the winning contestant is announced (or at some predetermined time thereafter (a) before the second round starts or (b) before the second round finishes).

Entrants who enter a selection for a female contestant may be transmitted a text message asking them if they wish to participate in the elimination round. In addition, after registering online, the contest sponsor, via the game server 30, may send periodic text messages to participants' registered mobile numbers informing them of, and giving them, the option to participate in the first round, elimination round, as well as other games, contests, and promotions. A player may opt out at any time by sending the appropriate text message (e.g., a particular number or “opt-out”) to the server 30 or a specific phone number.

FIG. 5 shows a process 70 for implementing a second round of the contest. This example embodiment the second round is an elimination round which narrows the field of participants to a subset thereof (e.g., one participant or a subset of participants). In this example elimination round, one or more questions (hereinafter referred to as a “set of questions”) in the form of text messages (e.g., premium SMS) are transmitted to the participants (i.e., to the mobile telephone 26 of the participant) from the server 30. Other embodiments may also transmit questions to the participant's access device 22 (e.g., via instant messaging, e-mail, or other means).

The questions and associated correct answers may originate from the winning female contestant. In this embodiment the questions are derived from information about the winning female contestant that was made available during the first round. Of course the number of questions may vary and the number of text messages used to send the questions may vary. The questions may be sent as one or more text messages that may or may not correlate to the number of questions. In this example embodiment, each question is sent as a single text message.

In this embodiment, in response to a text message inviting the participant to play, each participant may transmit (e.g., reply via text message) a notice to the game server 30 that the participant is prepared to enter the contest and receive the first question as shown in step 72 of FIG. 5. In response, the server may transmit an entry confirmation request which may indicate that a fee will be charged to the participant (e.g., to his credit card or his mobile telephone bill) if we wishes to enter the contest. A participant may indicate their acceptance of the charge by sending an appropriate text message reply (e.g., “Y”). If a participant fails to reply correctly, or does not reply within a predetermined time period, they may not be permitted to participate in the elimination round and not question is sent.

In this example embodiment, fifty questions and associated answers are stored in memory of the server 30. A set of five questions are randomly selected by the server 30 for transmission to the participant. If the participant does transmit an acceptance reply (indicating his desire to begin—and if appropriate, consent to the fees), the server 30 may then randomly select a set of five questions, and transmit the first selected question to that participant as shown by step 74. Specifically, the first question is sent in a first text message, the subsequent questions are sent after receiving a response (e.g., a text message reply) to the previous questions. In another embodiment all of the selected questions are immediately sent in successive text messages. In some embodiments advertising material may be included among any, some, or all of the text messages. In other embodiments, the questions may be sent via e-mail or may be posted online at a specific web site in addition to or instead of being sent via text messages.

In this embodiment, the server 30 transmits the five questions to the mobile telephones of the participants in the form of a plurality of text messages using a premium SMS service, another short message service protocol, or another communication protocol. Randomly selecting a subset of questions from a group of questions may provide numerous benefits. For example, it reduces the likelihood that a first participant who has already responded to the questions can assist a second participant because it is unlikely that both participants would receive many (or, if the total number of available questions is sufficient, any) of the same questions. Additionally, using a subset of questions permits the same participant to play multiple times. The random selection may be made as a group by selecting all five questions before any questions are transmitted or individually and immediately before transmission of the question. In either event, the server stores information of what questions have been sent to the participant to ensure that the participant does not receive the same question twice and so that the server knows which answer to compare the participant's transmitted answer in order to determine its correctness.

In this embodiment in which the participants transmit a notice that they are prepared to receive the first question, the contest may extend over a day, week, or month(s) and participants can play the game at their convenience. This is in contrast to other “live” contests in which the participants must be prepared to play at a particular time. In response to the transmitted question of step 74, the participant replies to the text message with an answer, which the server 30 receives at step 76. The server 30 determines whether the received answer is correct by comparing the answer with the correct answer that is stored in memory (e.g., in the games DB 32). The server also measures the time between the transmission of each question and the time of reception the participant's reply. In other embodiments, the server 30 may measure the time between transmission of the first, each, or last question and the reception of the participant's last, each, or first response. Participants may respond until a predetermined time period expires after which the server discards the response and may, in some instances, transmit the next question or eliminate the participant.

For each answer received, the server 30 stores the answer and the response time in memory at step 78. At step 80, the server 30 determines whether five questions have been transmitted to that participant yet. If the participant has been transmitted less than five questions, the process continues at step 74 where another question is transmitted to the participant. If the participant has been transmitted five questions, the server 30 determines a score (e.g., the number of correct responses) and a total response time at step 84. The total response time may be determined by adding up the response time stored in memory for each question. The score and total response time are then stored in memory of the server 30. At step 86, the participants are ranked based first on number of questions answered correctly (their score) and, second, the smallest total response time. In some embodiments, the highest rank participant may be announced as the winner.

In various embodiments a given participant may play (i.e., receive and respond to a set of questions) only once or up to a predetermined number of times (e.g., three times). The number of times a participant may play may be fixed for all participants or may vary per participant based on some criteria, such as, for example, the number of fees paid by the participant (e.g., pay per play). When participants are permitted to play multiple times, the server 30 may store information of the questions included in each set of questions transmitted to each participant and ensure that none of the same questions are transmitted to that participant a second time.

At step 88, which like the many other steps herein is optional, some of the participants may be eliminated based on their ranking and some of the remaining participants selected to continue on to another elimination round. In the different elimination rounds the rules may vary or remain the same. In some embodiments all participants that answer a threshold number of questions correctly continue to the next round. In another embodiment, only a fixed number or a determined percentage continue on to another round based on the highest ranking for that round or alternatively based on the highest accumulative rankings from all previous rounds. In some embodiments a participant may win a secondary prize for being ranked the highest for a given round. In another embodiment, a participant may win a secondary prize, that may comprise the financial compensation identified above, for answering the first, second, third, fourth, and/or fifth question correctly and the most quickly.

Thus, in embodiments in which multiple participants continue to another round, the field of participants is successively narrowed down. For example, the field may be narrowed down to one winner using iterations of the elimination round. In some embodiments, the field may be narrowed down to a final group which then competes in a final round. In various embodiments the final round may take various forms, and include live, remote, or real time interaction between the winning female contestant and the final round participants. In other embodiments other scenarios may be implemented to select a winning participant from among the final round participants. For the various embodiments, the winning participant may receive a date with the winning female contestant and/or the financial compensation identified above.

In the embodiment described above, the participants may be permitted to receive their questions (and provide responses) at there convenience during a predetermined window of time (e.g., a day, week, or month). In a live game, all the participants can be informed of a single starting time so that they are prepared to immediately read and respond to the questions. Thus, in some embodiments (e.g., a live contest) the contest may be completed within one day or hour.

In any of the embodiments, if there is a tie among participants, or if the contest sponsor wishes to narrow the number of participants, the participants may be compete in a final round at a specific date and time (e.g., a live game) that may include answering a series of general knowledge questions in a predetermined time period. Participants that answer a question correctly within the time period continue to the next question until one or some smaller subset of participants remain. In addition, this final round format also may be used as separate contest in and of itself (i.e., without the first round and elimination round).

Talent Contest:

FIGS. 6 illustrates an example process 70 for executing a real-time online talent contest in which talent performing participants transmit audio-video data to the server 30, which then transmits the audio-video data to voting participants. At some time after the registration process 38 of the performing participants and voting participants has begun, the game play may commence. Prior to or during game play, participants may enter the game by process 40 (see FIG. 2). Registered users enter the game by entering a game room, which may include accessing a web page or other cyber location that a plurality of persons can view (and potentially receive audio of). In various embodiments, a game room may be created by a user, the contest sponsor, the server company, or another entity. In one example, a registered user may set up a game for a group of friends, a group of users having some common interest, or a random group of people that desire to participate. In some embodiments a company sponsors a contest and solicits entries for the contest to be held at a certain date and time.

The contest may last for a prescribed time period, until all participants have performed, or until some other event or contingency occurs. Participants participate in the talent contest via a user access device 22 (e.g., a computer) having a web camera 28 and microphone. In addition, a mobile telephone 26 having audio-video receive and presentation capabilities may be used for voting participants and a mobile telephone 26 having audio-video input and transmit capabilities (e.g., a camera phone) may be used by performing participants. Thus, in some embodiments, a participant establishes and/or maintains a connection using their mobile telephone 26 to one of multiple specific telephone numbers. A performance of a performance participant is captured by a web camera and/or microphone coupled to the performing participant's access device 22 (or a camera phone 26). Player participants transmit the audio-video data of their performances (e.g., live or previously recorded) to the server 30. The performances, for example, may be a talent competition that may include comedians, poetry recitals, bands (or other music), singers, magicians, acrobats, or any other form of entertainment, talent, or skill. The server 30 receives the audio data at step 102 and selects a performing participant (based on criteria of the sponsor or based on votes received from participants). The server 30 transmits the audio-video data of the selected performing participant to the user devices 22 and/or mobile telephones 26 of the plurality of voting participants at step 104. Each voting participant views the performing participant's performance on the display on his or her access device 22 or mobile telephone 26. Voting participants may vote repeatedly for (approve) or against (disapprove) a particular performing participant by clicking a particular button or actuating a particular key of the keyboard. For example, a voting participant may express approval by pressing a select key (e.g., up arrow key) on the keyboard or on the mobile telephone 26. A voting participant may express disapproval by pressing a different key (e.g., down arrow key) on the keyboard or on the mobile telephone 26. The voting participant may repeatedly press either key to register multiple votes of approval or disapproval. Such repetition serves, in effect, to communicate an intensity of approval or disapproval. The server 30 receives the voting data from the voting participants at step 106, stores the data. At step 108, the server keeps a computes the score (the number of positive votes (“approval”) minus the number of negative votes (“disapproval”) received by the server 30 for the performing participant). In addition, the server may transmit the performance score to the voting and performing participants to indicate the performing participant's score, (which may change throughout the performance). The score may be displayed on the user's access device 22 or mobile telephone 26 in, for example, a meter format in which when the indicator is perfectly vertical the score is zero (neutral which may indicate an equal number of approvals and disapprovals) and the score becomes more negative as the indicator pivots (or moves) toward the left and more positive as the indicator pivots (or moves) toward the right. The server 30 then determines if the performer is eliminated at step 112. For example, if the score reaches a threshold negative score (e.g., a particular number of disapprovals in comparison to approvals), the performer may be eliminated and removed from the contest with server selecting and transmitting audio-video data of a new performing participant to the voting participants. If the performer is not eliminated the process may continue at step 102 with more audio video data of the same performer being transmitted. At the end of the contest, the performing participant with the highest net approval (i.e., cumulative approvals less cumulative disapprovals) may be determined by the server 30 (selected the winner of the contest) and a communication transmitted to all participants.

In addition to receiving and transmitting the audio-video data of a performing participant, the server 30 may also receive audio and/or video data from voting participants, may randomly select the video data (and/or audio data) of one or more voting participants, and transmit the selected video (and/or audio data) to the access device 22 or mobile telephone 26 of all or some subset of the voting participants. Thus, the access device 22 (or mobile telephone 26) of the voting participants may receive and display a video of the performing participant and simultaneous or periodically display a video (or still video image) of one, two, or more randomly selected voting participants who are watching the performing participant(s).

When one performance finishes the game server may switch the display of the game room to broadcast from the web camera of another performer. In some embodiments, the performances are arranged in order at which the participants enter the game room. In other embodiments, different ordering criteria may be implemented, such as by theme. In some embodiments other information also is transmitted and displayed, such as the best performance and score for such performance.

It is to be understood that the foregoing illustrative embodiments have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the invention. Words used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. In addition, the advantages and objectives described herein may not be realized by each and every embodiment practicing the present invention. Further, although the invention has been described herein with reference to particular structure, materials and/or embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein. Rather, the invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, may affect numerous modifications thereto and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 

1. A method of using a mobile telephone network to provide a contest via mobile telephones, comprising: transmitting a plurality of questions to the mobile telephones of a plurality of participants; receiving responses transmitted from the mobile telephones of each participant of a group of the participants receiving the questions; determining a score for each participant that comprises the number of correct answers received from the participant; determining a response time for each participant; and identifying a participant having the highest score and the smallest response time.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing a plurality of questions in memory; randomly selecting a subset of the plurality of questions; and wherein the questions transmitted to the mobile telephones of a plurality of participants comprise the randomly selected subset of questions.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said questions traverse one or more mobile telephone networks.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said responses traverse one or more wireless mobile telephone network.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting comprises: transmitting a first question; and transmitting a second question after receiving a response to the first question.
 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: storing a plurality of questions in memory; randomly selecting a subset of the plurality of questions; and wherein the questions transmitted to the mobile telephones of a plurality of participants comprise the randomly selected subset of questions.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving a request for a question from a participant prior to transmitting any questions to that participant.
 8. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving a request for a question from a participant prior to transmitting any questions to that participant.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said questions comprise transmitting short message service messages.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein said responses comprise short message service messages.
 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request for a question from a participant prior to transmitting any questions to that participant.
 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising in response receiving the short message service message that indicates a first request for a question from a participant: transmitting a notification that the participant will be charged a fee; and receiving a reply that includes a consent to the fee.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting a plurality of questions comprises transmitting the plurality of questions without waiting to receive a response to any questions.
 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving a request for a question from a participant prior to transmitting any questions to that participant.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the response time comprises the cumulative time between transmission of a question to a participant and reception of an answer to that question from that participant for each of the plurality of questions.
 16. A method of using a mobile telephone network to provide a contest via handheld communication devices, comprising: a. receiving a short message service message that indicates a first request for a question from a participant; b. transmitting a plurality of short message service messages that each include at least one question to the handheld communication device of the participant; c. receiving replies to the transmitted short message service messages that include answers of the participant; d. determining a score for the participant that comprises the number of correct answers received from the participant; e. determining a response time for the participant; performing steps a through e for a plurality of participants; and identifying a participant having the highest score and the smallest response time.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: storing a plurality of questions in memory; randomly selecting a subset of the plurality of questions; and wherein the plurality of questions transmitted to the participant comprise the selected subset of questions.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein said transmitting comprises: transmitting a first question in a first short message service message; and transmitting a second question after receiving a reply to the first message.
 19. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting information which that includes information from which the answers can be derived.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the transmitting information comprises transmitting the information via a web server to a plurality of computers for display in a browser.
 21. The method of claim 16, wherein said transmitting a plurality of short message service messages comprise transmitting the plurality of messages without waiting to receive a reply to any messages.
 22. The method of claim 16, wherein the response time comprises the cumulative time between transmission of a question to the handheld communication device of the participant and reception of an answer to that question from the participant for each question.
 23. The method of claim 16, wherein the response time comprises the cumulative time between transmission of a first question to the handheld communication device of the participant and reception of an answer to the last question from the participant.
 24. The method of claim 16, further comprising: receiving a short message service message that indicates a second request for a question from the participant; performing steps b through e in response to the second request; and wherein all the questions sent to the handheld communication device of the participant are different.
 25. The method of claim 16, further comprising in response receiving the short message service message that indicates a first request for a question from a participant: transmitting a notification that the participant will be charged a fee; and receiving a reply that includes a consent to the fee.
 26. A method of using a mobile telephone network to provide a contest via handheld communication devices, comprising: storing a plurality of questions in memory; a. receiving a short message service message that indicates a first request for a question from a participant; b. randomly selecting a question; c. transmitting a short message service message that includes the selected question to the handheld communication device of the participant; d. receiving a reply to the transmitted short message service message that includes an answer of the participant; repeating steps b through d a plurality of times for each participant; e determining a score for the participant that comprises the number of correct answers received from the participant; f. determining a response time for the participant; performing steps e and f for each participant; and identifying a participant having the highest score and the smallest response time. 